Born in Virginia, USA, in 1980. After attending George Washington University, Kagan received his MFA from the New York Academy of Art in 2005, where he received the postgraduate fellowship. Kagan’s work symbolically depicts the “limits” that human beings challenge, such as spaceflight, surfing, and mountaintop. In particular, the works that are themed on astronauts are considered Kagan’s best-known series. His unique brushstrokes, in which the paint is applied on rough sketches, and the high-contrast color scheme resemble outer space, create a distinctive painting. In contrast, he diverts the technique of screen-printing instead of his iconic style of impasto in his mountaintop painting series. Through his practice, Kagan uses a wide range of techniques depending on the work. Nature, the universe, and the sea are realms where human existence itself is challenged. Their overwhelming severity evokes a sense of sublimity. Since sublimity is an emotion accompanied by awe and fear, to overcome it is to contribute to the development of humans’ spirituality, which is why it is praised as a great achievement. The essence of Kagan’s work is not merely about confronting “limits” as the theme, but more about celebrating the resilience and determination that enable individuals to transcend them. Including the commission work for the National Air and Space Museum Archives (part of the Smithsonian museums) and a solo museum exhibition in 2019 (Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, USA), Kagan’s works continue to gain growing international recognition.